Minor Shakeups Highlight Dolphins Week 7 Inactive List

Going over the inactives for the Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field

Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers (14) looks on before a game against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins made a couple of eye-opening moves with their inactive list for their Week 7 game against the Cleveland Browns.

The most noteworthy involves the backup quarterback position, where rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers is replacing Zach Wilson as the No. 2 QB behind Tua Tagovailoa.

Head coach Mike McDaniel no doubt will be asked about it during his postgame press conference, but the only logical reasons would be to reward Ewers for practice work or to set the stage for Ewers to get playing time at some point if the 2025 season continues to go south for the Dolphins.

Wilson, who will be the emergency third quarterback for the first time this season, signed only a one-year contract in the spring, so it makes sense that Ewers is the one who'll get a look if the Dolphins decide or need to use a second quarterback this season.

The other eye-opening move involved veteran linebacker Matthew Judon being made inactive for the first time this season.

Judon has not performed particularly well being signed during training camp and was victimized on a long Los Angeles Chargers running play that bounced outside when he failed to disengage and hold the edge.

Of course, it also should be pointed out that Judon could be of interest to via trade for one of the many teams looking for pass-rushing help, though it's not likely he'll fetch any kind of significant return.

Yet another interesting part of the inactive list involved cornerback Storm Duck, who again will be watching the game from the sideline.

He'll miss a sixth consecutive game since sustaining an ankle injury in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, and though he was listed as questionable on the final injury report Friday, he was a full participant in practice all week and McDaniel said he was expected him to be available.

The Dolphins elevated veteran cornerback Kendall Sheffield from the practice squad Saturday, which in retrospect should have been a sign Duck wasn't coming back just yet.

Duck did start the opener at Indy, but both McDaniel and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said there was no guarantee he'd automatically go back to the starting lineup upon his return because Rasul Douglas has been playing well.

The only player inactive strictly because of injury is DB Elijah Campbell, who'll miss a second consecutive game with a quad injury he sustained in practice.

Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. will be a healthy scratch for a second consecutive game, but also joined on the inactive list by fellow wide receiver Tahj Washington.

The Dolphins therefore will have four active wide receivers — Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Dee Eskridge — which probably makes sense since the game figures to be more about the running game with the expected rough weather conditions.

The final inactive is rookie seventh-round pick Zeek Biggers, who has appeared in only one game so far this season — when Benito Jones missed a game with an oblique injury.

CLEVELAND BROWNS INACTIVE INFO

The Browns will have only five inactive players, but they're now down a second starter.

Right tackle Jack Conklin will join tight end David Njoku as an inactive because of the concussion he sustained in the Browns' loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago.

Also inactive for the Browns: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, RB Raheim Sanders and DT Mike Hall Jr.

Rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant's teammate at the University of Michigan, will be active despite sustaining a knee injury in practice.